United star ready for comeback

Kieron Dyer is relishing the prospect of terrorising Premiership defences again as he prepares to play his first competitive match in nine months tonight, but has admitted that he was hoping one of his friends would be joining him.

Kieron Dyer is relishing the prospect of terrorising Premiership defences again as he prepares to play his first competitive match in nine months tonight, but has admitted that he was hoping one of his friends would be joining him.

Dyer lines up for Newcastle Reserves against Bolton Wanderers in a match which will be watched by a representative of England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

But the England international has admitted he will spare a thought for his team-mate Carl Cort, who is expected to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Cort, who has scored seven times in just 15 appearances for United since a #7m move from Wimbledon in the summer of 2000, is currently in America to see Dr Richard Steadman, the knee specialist who resurrected Alan Shearer's career last season.

And Dyer is keen to offer his support to a player who helped him through his own injury nightmare.

"I'm gutted for Carl," he said. "It is a terrible blow for him. He thought he only had a few weeks left before he would be joining me back in the United first team and then he is told that he will probably need an operation and will miss the rest of the season.

"I know how it feels because I've had my own setbacks in battling back to fitness. I thought I was going to be fit for the start of September and then broke down in training. It is a horrible thing to have to face up to.

"Carl was fantastic with me when we were both injured. He helped me get through it and kept me going through all the fitness work, I owe him a great deal. He made the whole thing a lot easier to bare, as did our two physios. Now I want to offer him my support and I hope he has a speedy return. He is mentally strong though and I'm sure he will bounce back."

Dyer lines up in a strong-looking reserve side at the Reebok Stadium tonight which will also feature Clarence Acu?a, Shola Ameobi, Sylvain Distin, Andy Griffin, Warren Barton and Christian Bassedas.

And the 22-year-old is raring to go. He said: "I've really enjoyed getting back to training and have been feeling good. Everything has come back really quickly, which is pleasing, and I've been terrorising the lads a bit in the last week.

"I'll feel even better when I can start doing it to the opposition as well. It's all about getting my fitness levels up and that can only come with games.

"I'm hoping to play for the full 90 minutes tonight and then perhaps get a place on the bench for the Ipswich game, but we'll see how I feel after tonight first."

The England international also points to

his captain, Alan Shearer, as a source of inspiration as he begins a comeback which he hopes will end with a place in the England squad for the World Cup Finals in Japan and South Korea.

"My injury was not nearly as bad as some of the ones Alan has come back from. He is obviously an inspiration to me because you see how he has come back time after time and you look at the goals he has scored."

He added: "I've made no secret of the fact that I want to be in the England squad for the World Cup and that's my long-term aim. First of all, though, I want to get back playing for Newcastle and help them get into Europe.

"Everyone has been saying we have got a really tough World Cup draw and we have. There are no easy teams, but it is no tougher really than the one we had in Euro 2000 when we got Portugal, Romania and Germany.

"We're a better side than then as well and I definitely think we can qualify.

"All the lads have said first place is the aim as we don't want France in the second round.

"But if we're going to win the World Cup, which has got to be our aim, then we have to beat the best sides at some point and maybe it is best to get them early in the competition."

Leverkusen were beaten 4-0 by Juventus last Thursday in their Group D opener and also suffered their first Bundesliga loss of the season at the weekend.

But Ze Roberto, Oliver Neuville and Michael Ballack scored within 15 second-half minutes to put their European campaign back on track.

Raul fired Real Madrid three points clear at the top of Group C as they beat Panathinaikos 3-0.

The Spain striker scored two goals in four second-half minutes to extend Real's 100pc start to the second round.

Ivan Helguera gave the Champions League favourites the half-time lead before Raul struck.

Sparta Prague bounced back from last month's home defeat to Real by winning 1-0 at Porto.

Libor Sionko headed the winning goal 14 minutes from time as home goalkeeper Paulo Santos helped the ball into the net.